Melbourne Airport (all airports really) runway usage?

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Hi to all,

 

Please excuse my ignorance here as I am somewhat new to this.

 

I have been plane spotting for a few years now, however my aviation knowledge is relatively basic.

 

A question which has been on my mind for a long time is that of Melbourne airport’s runways and their usage, specifically what are the factors that dictate which runway is in use at any particular time of the day.

 

For example I have been at the airport at 11am on a Monday and have seen flights arriving and departing off Runway 34, then a few weeks back I was at the airport again on a Monday around 11am and these same flights were arriving and departing off Runway 16.

 

What is the system to it?

 

Is it based on variable factors such as weather or is it a seasonal thing – ie. planes take off to the North during the winter months and South during the Summer?

 

…Or is it like Melbourne’s underground train system – where direction of travel changes around a specific time of day?

 

Thanks very much.

 

Adam

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

It all has to do with weather, wind direction in particular

 

Welcome to TAA

 

Moving this to Commercial Aviation forum

 

 

[Guest Darren Masters]

Welcome Adam, as Glenn stated runway usage is reliant on wind direction down the strip. Aircraft should preferably take off into the wind, ie, the direction the planes are taking off in is where the wind is coming from. Another reason is noise abatement procedures. A good way to tell which runway is in use before you visit the airport is by tuning into the ATIS frequency on your scanner for the particular airport you wish to visit or you can search online ATIS for a number of airports via:

 

http://www.rwy34.com/atis/

 

Hope this helps

 

 

[Guest ads]

Glenn, Darrin, all,

 

My genuine thanks for your replies. Greatly appreciated!

 

The information provided was just what I was after and has made for terrific help. I do have a scanner and have now stored in the ATIS frequency.

 

I put this newly acquired knowledge to test this morning and ventured out to Melbourne Airport.

 

For proof some of my extremely amateur photos can be viewed here:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29513280@N05/sets/72157609401486289/

 

On a related follow-up question, can I ask what factors dictate a flight’s particular flight path?

 

I understand wind and weather conditions play their part, as well as crowded airspace around YMML and the need to fly ‘close’ to all airfields enroute. Although its their specifics soon after take off which I can’t quite get my head around.

 

I’ll use QF93, Melbourne-Los Angeles as an example.

 

I have seen this flight take off from Runway 16 on two recent occasions one of which being the Qantas A380’s inaugural commercial flight on October 20th this year.

 

On this day the plane took off heading South towards the Melbourne CBD, and from there it headed what seemed like due East until it reached the North Coast of New Zealand, then continued North/East to Los Angeles.

 

Other times the plane has taken off from runway16, heading South towards the Melbourne CBD, however soon turning West and then heading North/East in the Direction of Canberra.

 

It’s these little details I find interesting in the world of aviation…….

 

Cheers

 

Adam

 

 

[Guest Chainsaw]

...For proof some of my extremely amateur photos can be viewed here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/29513280@N05/sets/72157609401486289/...

G'day and welcome to TAA Adam,

 

The important thing about photography is that it captures a moment, tells a story. To achieve that, you don't need a NASA quality camera. Have a look in our Gallery and you will see what I mean. There are plenty of 'average' photos and some good ones too.

 

We here at TAA love the stories that are told and share our fantastic hobby together. Also you will find on the main menu to the left Live ATC for Melb as well as other cities.

 

I for one, would love to hear about your spotting days. I now live in the country hours west of Sydney. I used to spot at Sydney as much as I could and that is the only thing I miss about the place! So, hearing about your spotting days would be great for me.

 

The members on here are from all kinds of backgrounds in and out of the airline industry, so any question will be answered to the best of our ability.

 

Your ongoing contributions will be most welcome :)

 

Cheers,

 

Chainy

 

P.S. Why not share your photos with us in the TAA Gallery, it costs nothing!

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

Hey Adam

 

You have some great shots there. What camera do you use?

 

I'm glad we were able to help you with your questions and I'm sure some otehr people were wondering the same thing.

 

 

[Guest Darren Masters]

Hey Adam, firstly, don't knock your shots. I used to do it and won the photo comp a few months back with one of them so as Chainy says, capture the moment and don't worry too much about anything else To answer this:

 

On a related follow-up question, can I ask what factors dictate a flight’s particular flight path?I understand wind and weather conditions play their part, as well as crowded airspace around YMML and the need to fly ‘close’ to all airfields enroute. Although its their specifics soon after take off which I can’t quite get my head around.

Aircraft are allocated certain departure routes (sometimes overhead towns or other airports) as you mention. We call these waypoints. The same goes for arrivals or STARS (standard terminal arrival) or RNAV (area navigation). You will often hear a controller saying "Expect a Rivet 8 arrival" etc etc. Rivet 8 is just a waypoint. With departures too obviously what can affect this is other arriving/departing traffic etc, hence the reason you see the aircraft sometimes going a different way. You can also hear controllers saying things like "Reduce to 210kts for sequencing". That is they want the said aircraft to reduce his speed so they can fit him into the circuit in a smooth flow of traffic for landings. There is some reading here:

 

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=cHKevTrbjCEC&pg=PA185&lpg=PA185&dq=standard+approach+star&source=web&ots=D-1LhdcGFV&sig=XU6X1aHPyqGLu4YJB00e8Ys0aDg&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA196,M1

 

Foreign but will give you a bit of an idea. If you have any other questions please ask anyone on here and those of us that fly will be more than happy to help

 

 

[Robbo]

I second that Darren !

 

 

[Guest OzChris]

Hi Adam - welcome to TAA!

 

I love the way the sun reflection shimmers off of this image of yours:

 

 

Hope you enjoy your stay with us here...

 

Again Welcome!

 

:]

 

 

[Guest Darren Masters]

I second that Darren !

All of it or just the happy to help bit?

 

 

[Robbo]

Your the man Daz !!!

 

Second everything :)

 

 

[Guest ads]

Re: Melbourne Airport runway usage & flight paths?

 

Hi all,

 

Thankyou very much for the warm welcome, info provided and kind words re: my photos – all very humbling.

 

The photos I took were from a sony handycam which I was using to both video record and still photography. I have not yet moved into the world of DSL cameras however any ‘point and shoot’ camera which offers 5x optical zoom and you certainly see an improvement in picture quality.

 

In comparison I was only working off an equivalent 3(-ish) x zoom. Good enough when the planes are flying close overhead I guess.

 

In terms of picture quality and furthering the discussion regarding flight path’s, the following trip report (not mine) of the Qantas A380’s inaugural flight between Mel-LAX covers both topics.

 

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/trip_reports/read.main/135934/

 

As you read through this report you get a fairly clear idea of the particular flight path QF93 took on this day. This computer program which a passenger(?) had on their laptop during the flight caught my attention.

 

 

Interested to know what this computer progam is called and whether or not it is available on the internet for public use?

 

These next 2 pictures are just my estimated flight paths from occasions where I have been at the airport to see QF93 depart.

 

 

October 20 2008

 

November 17 2008

 

 

I stress these are my uneducated estimations. I witnessed these two flights depart from Melborune Airport's runway 16. Soon after takeoff the 20/10/08 flight turned left and headed East to the Pacific Ocean.

 

Where as the 17/11/08 flight turned right after takeoff and headed West before completing a 180 degree turn to continuing traveling in a North/East direction to the Pacific Ocean and beyond to LAX.

 

I'm just a little suprised to see the minor difference in these flight paths and despite one flight seemingly travelling a slightly longer distance (20.10.2008), both flights arrived at LAX 'on time'.

 

Cheers.

 

 

[Robbo]

Hi Adam

 

The first photo looks like the Jepperson FlighStar program details can be found at http://www.jeppesen.com/personal-solutions/aviation/flitestar-computer-based-flight-planning.jsp

 

( I am only trying to make our the title bar and it looks like Jepp, but don't hold me to that not 100% sure)

 

You may also like this fancy program costs $40 however you can watch everything and track aircraft without the adsb box because people share there data across the net.

 

You can track the plane, watch speed, route etc etc.

 

http://www.coaa.co.uk/planeplotter.htm

 

 

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Hi Adamhttp://www.jeppesen.com/personal-solutions/aviation/flitestar-computer-based-flight-planning.jsp

http://www.coaa.co.uk/planeplotter.htm

Thanks for these links Robbo.

Cheers

 

 

[Uncle Chop Chop]

Some good photos there. I try to get out to Melbourne International as often as I could. The next time you are going to go out PM me and we might be able to meet up. I try to get out there when the winds are coming in from the North. The best location to spot from is the RWY 34 Spotting Area. A list of Spotting Locations can be found at http://www.rwy34.com/spotting/withcar.php#I